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 One of the most player-friendly Internet poker bills ever proposed in the United States was introduced in the Nevada state assembly on Thursday. The measure which specifies that it would not discriminate against existing operators could be very good news for poker players and major poker networks alike. Not only would the bill allow players to play within the Nevada borders but it would authorize the Nevada Gaming Commission to enter into compacts with other jurisdictions where interactive gaming is not prohibited, and share in tax revenues.
"Nevada wants to be on the forefront of this," said Poker Players Alliance executive director John Pappas. "They saw what's happening in New Jersey and said, 'Anything you can do, we can do better.'"
"Some of the issues regarding liquidity are much better addressed in this legislation than any other state legislation," he continued. "They are not seeking to exclude anybody. They are seeking an open, competitive license system and I think that is in the best interest of the consumer. We are honestly inclined to be favorable to this legislation but we have not yet made an official position."
The bill is already running into opposition from local casinos. Caesars Entertainment, which officially supports internet poker, opposes the measure because it is looking for a federal solution to online gambling. Supporters of the bill however argue that the legislation could grow into a national or even international Internet poker network as more states join in as internet poker becomes legalized. The Poker Players Alliance appears to be leaning towards Caesars' opinion.
"Our strong preference remains a federal solution for this," Pappas said. "We hope it is something that the U.S. Congress sees and says, 'We need to act quicker.' They are not acting quickly enough. We hope this can speed up action on the federal level. Nevada may pass a bill this year, but we'll still have a problem in the other 49 states and the PPA's interest lies in making licensed and regulated poker for all our members, not just those who live in Nevada."
If the bill were to pass it could be a catalyst for legalized poker across the U.S.
As always, stay tuned to Casinofan for more news and updates.
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